wi ldman



F. B. WILDMAN.

FABRIC EQUALIZ'ER FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1915.

L1 96 1950 Patented Aug. 29,1916.

W]. 2 SHEETSSHEETI- F. B. WILDMAN. FABRIC EQUALIZER FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY29I I9l6. LL 96.,L9m Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

[mi/www.m-

Mrwniu fi. Widimw kkwgmw FRANK B. WILIDMTAN, OF NOBBISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNUR T0 WILDMAN MFG- COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLV.

FABRIC-EQUALIZER FOR CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. ea, rare.

application filed May 29, 1916. Serial No. 100,625.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. WILDMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norristown, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Fabric Equalizers for Circular Knitting Machines, of which the following is a speclfication.

In circular knitting machines inwhich take up rolls are employed the fabric gripping faces of which extend in a plane coinciding with the diametrical plane of the machine an objection exists in that the tension of the fabric is not the same throughout its circumference, there being a higher tension along certain of the. wales than along others. This is due to the fact thatthe fabric when it comes from the needles is circutance from the needles to the take up rolls measured along the wale which passes between the take up rolls at the center of their length will be greater than the distance measured from the needles along a vwale the highest to the lowest.

located 90 apart from that first mentioned and which extends in the plane of the contacting faces of the take up rolls to the needles, the tubular fabric intermediate these points being under difierent tension from This variation of wale lengths between the needles and the take up increases with the diameter of the needle circle. The distance vertically from the needle circle to the take up base usually remains the same for all diameters. Consequently the larger diameter of the needle circle increases the distance from the rolls to the needles, more at a point 90 from the two ends of the fabric rolls on a large ma chine, than on a small one. I provide means to compensate for this condition and maintain a substantially even take up strain throughout all parts of the tubular fabric, thus securing better results in the knitting, at the needle row, as the pull of the fabric is practically uniform on all the needles. Also, the fabric passes through the rolls with the knit courses practically parallel, whereas without the equalizer the courses of knitting are bowed, the two outer ends of the fabric courses being lower than the fabric courses in the center. I

The invention consists in the features and combination and arrangement of parts herelnafter described and particularly pointed out 1n the claims. In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 ma sectional view of part of a knitting head with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 1s a plan view in the nature of a diagram. F1g. 3 shows in plan the preferred form of the invention.

In these drawings 1 indicates a needle cylinder, from which the knitted fabric passes to; the take up rolls '2 extending ina plane coinclding with the diametrical plane of the knltting head or cylinder. These take up rolls, in the particular example of my invent on illustrated herein, though the 1nvent1on 1s not limited in this respect, are mounted 1n standards; 3 which extend down from the rlng 4, which carries the needle cylinder and which ring ismounted in the base ring 5. This ring is rotated by a bevel gear (not shown) meshing with the bevel gear ring 6,'though it will be understood that the invention is not limited to machines of the rotary needle cylinder type.

For equalizing the take-up strain throughout the circuit of the tubular fabric I prov1d e means for maln'ng the' path traversed by the fabric on its way from the needle to the take up roll or rolls equal substantially at all points throughout the circle of the fabric and for this purpose I employ, as one form of the invention, a fabric equalizing member 7 which is of general elliptical form so faras its interior opening is concerned, through which the fabric passes. The major axis of this elliptical opening is at right angles to the plane of the contacting faces of the take up rolls and necessarily therefore the minor axis of the elliptical opening lies in the same vertical plane as the contacting faces of the take up rolls. The proport1on between the major and minor axes 1s such that the fabric in passing from the needles to a point on the elliptical fabric equalizer at the minor axis and thence to the take up rolls will traverse a path aslong as that traversed by the part of the fabric located at a point 90 around the tube or 1n other words, as long as that wale of the fabric which passes from the needles substantially straight to the take up. All the intermediate parts or wales of the fab- IlC w1ll traverse paths of substantially equal length, because of the elliptical shape of the I inner edge of the equalizer or compensator against whichthe fabric bears and hence the tension at the needles will be substantially the same at all points in the needle circle.

@ The-fabric equalizing member may be sup ported invarious ways. In th'eparticular embodiment of my invention illustrated it is held by rods 8 extending down from the needle cylinder. The fabric equalizing 19 member has arms 7 extending outwardly fee therefrom, which have openings down through which the rods extend and these rods carry nuts at their lower ends and between these nuts the fabric condenser memher is. supported. The fabric equalizing member can be adjusted vertically to set it at the proper elevation for accomplishing the v result desired. 1

While I have shown'in Figs 1 and 2 the equalizer as a single unit of elliptical form the device may be made 1n two separate units A, B, Fig. 3, adjustable to and fromthe center of the-machine according to requirements of fine" yarn for tight stitches, or coarse yarn-knit loosely. As is well known, the width of the fabric varies according to the conditions above stated. Also it will be understood that the elliptical form of the equalizer varies greatly according to the ,from the needles to the take up rolls. In

ordinary practice without the use of my fabric condenser theline of the fabric would be as indicated at m, but by my fabric condenser with the fabric passing through it the side line of the fabric would correspond substantially to the line 3 y, 11 The straight line w indicates the length of the wales a quarter turn or 90 around the fabric from the side indicated by the line w, and the problem to be met is to make the line of fabric y, 3 y and all intermediate lines of approximately the same length as that of the line wand this is What is accomplished by passing the fabric down within the equalizer path which may be oval, elliptical or any contour which tends to equalize the fabric pull. The slight variation; from the elliptical path due to making the two halves of the equalizer adjustable to and from the center is not objectionable or noticeable in the fabric.

By my invention 'the courses of fabric will pass through the take up rolls in the same parallel planes in which they leave the needles, whereas without my fabric condensing means the courses of fabric will assume an arched form at the take up rolls.

WVhat I claim is 1. In combination with a circular knitting machine, take up means for the tubular fabric which fabric engages therewith in fiat form, and equalizing means having a noncircular guiding surface on its inner side for the fabric between the needles and the take up for equalizing the take up strain throughout the circuit of the said tubular fabric, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a circular knitting machine, take up means for the tubular fabric, which fabric engages therewith in fiat form, and means outside of the fabric .plane, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a circular knitting machine, take up means for the tubular fabric which holds it in flat form, and

means having a non-circular opening or passage through which the fabric passesin substantially elliptical cross sectional form, on its way from the needles to the take-up, the major axis of said ellipse being at right angles to the plane of the flattened part of the tube engaging the take up means, substantially as described.

4. In combination with a circular knitting machine, a take up roll for the tubular fabric with which the fabric engages in fiat form and equalizing means engaging the tube between the needles and the take up roll and pressing the fabric farther inward toward the axis of the machine at points substantially in the vertical plane of the contact face of the take up roll than at points substantially at right angles to the said plane.

5. In combination with a circular knitting machine, take up means with which the tubular fabric engages in fiat form, and equalizing means for causing the fabric to assume noncircular form between the needles and the take up and with the parts of the fabric closer to the axis of the machine at points substantially in the vertical plane of the fiat fabric at the take up than at other parts of the tube, said equalizing means being adjustable to vary the non-circular shape of the fabric to secure even tension at the needles, substantially as described. I

6. In combination with a circular knit- 1 ting machine take up means with which the fabric engages in flat form, and equalintents izing means for evening the tension along the difierent wales consisting of a plurality of members bearing on the outerside of the fabric between the needles and the take up and pressing the fabric inwardly to a greater degree substantially at points in the vertical plane of the take up and progressively to lesser degrees at intermediate points, said members being adjustable toward and from the vertical axis of the machine, substantially as described.

7. In combination with a circular knitting machine, take up means with which the fabric engages in flat form, and equalizing means for evening the tension along the different wales consisting of a plurality of members bearing on the outerside of the fab ric between the needles and the take up and pressing the fabric inwardly to a greater degree substantially at points in the vertical plane of the take up and progressively tit to lesser degrees at intermediate points, said members being adjustable toward and from the vertical axis of the machine, said members reaching only part way around the tubular fabric, substantially as described.

8. In combination with a circular knitting machine, take up means with which the fabric engages in flat form and means between the needles and the take up for'evening the tension along the different wales consisting in a plurality of members having bearing surfaces for the fabric, nonconcentrio with the vertical axis of the machine, said members pressing the fabric farther inward toward the vertical axis of the machine at points substantially in the vertical plane of the take up than at intermediate points, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, ll afix my signal ture.

FRANK B. WILDMAN. 

